Adjustable insulating elevation post



Nov. 30, 1943. s. c. MlLLER ADJUSTKBII INSULATING. ELEVATION POST FiledOct. 17. 1941 INVENTOR 1534441151. C.M/LLEE.

ATTORNEY Patented Nov. 30, 1943 UNITED STATES PATENT ADJUSTABLEINSPULSA'IING ELEVATION 0 T This invention relates to elevation posts,more particularly to adjustable elevation posts and insulators fortubular, gaseous illuminants, such as those generally known as neon signlamps.

Elevation posts of insulating material have heretofore been made ofglass wherein the insulater element is provided with a seat fer thetubular illuminant, and horns for tying the tubular illuminant thereto.The glass posts for such construction are generally referred to in my applications Serial No. 337,193 and Serial No. 369,798 filed May 25, 19%,and December 12, 1940, respectively.

The need for wiring the tubing to the elevation post horns introduces anelement of labor, appearance and electrical effect, which is objectionable. The wire is not only visible but in unskilled hands, or byreason of changes in terrierature, fracture of the horns of theelevation post frequently results.

It is an object of my invention to overcome the deficiencies ofelevation posts as known to me, ire-n1 the standpoint of enhancing theap-' pearance thereof without sacrificing the insulating value of thesecontrivances. I have foundor translucent character, are admirablysuitable for use as elevation posts. I have further foundthat thethermoplastic insulators of transparent or translucent character, theindex of refraction of which is close to quartz glass, add an unusuallyattractive appearance to tubular illuminants of the character described,in that the light transmission features avoid any interfering influencein the display of the tubular illuminant, and may therefore bepositioned at any point along the length of the tubing which it isintended that it support.

I have further found that the thermoplastic characteristics of syntheticresinous materials may be advantageously employed to form, in situ, theconnection between the elevation post and the tubing.

Thus I have found that I may form an elevation post of thermoplasticmaterial and provide the same with tubing enveloping segments which maybe formed into connecting engagement in situ, thereby eliminatingobjectionable wire iii straps and ornamental experienced with glass orlik' V, A v

Ihiave further found, by elimination or the llic tying means sqauyenipoyeu with elevation posts known to me, and luminous tubes wholly by nlicj ators, that visual as well as electrical defects are minimized. V LO the r i e'atures army invention will become more apparenuorhe more p asized as this description procee H For this purpose I nialie referenceto companying drawing, forming a part hereof, in which; p v h Figure lis a front ele' nal view showing one embodiment of h e;

Figure 2, is a side elevationailview thereof; Efigure 3 is a planviewth'ereof; Figure 4 ra s,t e, ele a iixrsst an standard in positionon a surface, together with a section of neon sign tubing;

Figure 5 is a fragmentary, w thereof; .1 e V. Figure 5 is a'view'eorrespbhs sg g Figure with a screw threaded type of elevation post, inaccordance with my invention Making reference to thedrawing, I havetrated in Figures 1 to 5 an elevation in post for neon sign tubing orthe like, par suitable witlr my adjustableino'unt non orcli p,referredto in m appl a lo a1 Nos. 337,193 and 369,798. means-y 25, 1910; and December 12, 1940, re"specti vely. U I

The invention herein cc dern itslfru h with the post it, which e tspneiiq, j H arranged to interfit'withsome' p.

ad's asst-tides The opposite endiZ is formedwith a sea oer fined byangularly disposedffaces i4, thereby,

serving to center tubing [5 within rather wide tolerance of siaes. Theseat isforniejd It and n, which termmate intofi ngers l8 and It. At thetime of construction, the fingers I8 and I9 are preferably formedsubstantially parallel to each other, whereby the tubing l5 may bedisposed therebetween, to rest upon the seats In this position, wherethe post has the branches thereof made of thermoplastic resinousmaterial, they are suitably heated, and then folded into envelopingpositions, more clearly illustrated in Figures 4 and 5, wherein thebranches are bent to form arcuate fingers 20 and 2!.

It will be understood that the displacement to the enveloping positionis consistent with the size of the tubing disposed upon the seat l3,thus providing firmness of engagement, particularly when the shrinkageincident to cooling is taken into account after the operation whichinvolved forming the thermoplastic fingers 8 and I9 into engagingposition by heat.

In general, I prefer to form the post It! of thermoplastic material,which is deformable at moderate temperatures, such as approximately 200to 225 F. The polystyrene resins and the methacrylate resins have beenfound suitable, though I prefer the polystyrene resins for my purpose.

Where I employ thermoplastic resinous material whose index of refractionischosen with due regard to the nature of the glass employed, theappearance of the illuminant held in position by my construction ismaterially enhanced, and harmonious color schemes may be effected.

Where tubing of the type which is coated with fluorescent material isemployed, marring of the surface where the coating is customarilyexteriorly disposed, is minimized. Where the illuminant tubing has thefluorescent material on the interior face, the absence of metallic tyingmembers, normally employed with glass elevation posts heretofore knownto me, minimizes the deteriorating effect of this coating.

Apart from the new and novel optical effects, it will be appreciatedthat the toughness and shockproofness of the material introduces ahighly desirable feature in the installation for the purposescontemplated by me.

In Figures 4 and 5 I have illustrated an attaching clip 22 and standard23, which engage the shank of the post It] by engaging any of thetransverse grooves therein shown.

In another embodiment, illustrated in Figure 6, the shank 24 may beformed with a screw threaded section 25, where screw threaded adjustmentmay be found desirable.

It will be observed that while I have illustrated, and prefer to make myelevation post of'thermoplastic insulating material, wherein moderatetemperatures may be used to shape the fingers I8 and I9 into envelopingengagement about an illuminant tube IE, it is contemplated by me thatsome of the novel effects of my invention may be secured, in part, byforming the post with an attaching seat having wire engaging hornscustomarily found in glass elevation posts.

Where these features are employed, it will be understood that the use ofthe optical properties of thermoplastic materials, such as themethacrylates and polystyrene synthetic resins, enhances the appearanceof the illuminating assembly, particularly neon signs.

Other features incident to the employment of the thermoplastic materialsI have mentioned will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art.

Having thus described my invention and illustrated its use, what I claimas new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. An elevation post for luminous tubes com prising a body portion ofinsulating material having a shank portion for engagement with a surfaceattaching mechanism, one end whereof is provided with a seat, and tubeengaging elements comprising at least one finger extended to one side ofsaid seat of a length whereby upon lateral shaping of said finger aboutsaid tube it serves to hold said tube upon the seat comprising athermoplastic resinous material deformable at moderate temperatureswhereby mounting and removal may be made of said tubes.

2. An elevation post for luminous tubes having a shank and seat portionof insulating material and extension fingers disposed from said seat ofthermoplastic synthetic resinous material deformable at moderatetemperatures and positioned in respect of said seat whereby said tubemay be laterally positioned upon said seat and thereupon the saidfingers may be shaped to engage said tube at moderate temperatures.

3. An elevation postfor luminous tubes having a shank and seat portionof insulating material and extension fingers disposed from said seat ofthermoplastic synthetic resinous material deformable at moderatetemperatures and positioned in respect of said seat whereby said tubemay be laterally positioned'upon said seat and thereupon the saidfingers may be shaped to engage said tube, said synthetic material beinga polystyrene polymer of substantially transparent characteristics.

4. 1m combination with luminous tube, an insulator elevation post ofsynthetic resinous material deformable at moderate temperatures havingextension fingers of said material shaped about said tube and shrunk insitu into engaging position about said tube.

5. In the method of positioning luminous tubes in position by theseating of said tubes upon an insulator elevation post havingthermoplastic extensions deformable at moderate temperatures, the stepswhich consist in locating the tube upon the seat and then in shaping insitu at moderate temperatures the extension of insulating material aboutsaid tube into engagement with said tubes and thermally setting the samein position.

6. In the method of positioning luminous tubes in position by seating ofsaid tubes upon an insulator elevation post, having extensions and whichis made of thermoplastic synthetic resinous material deformable atmoderate temperatures, the steps which consist in positioning the tubeupon the seat and then thermally shaping the extensions in situ atmoderate temperatures into engaging position with said tube and settingthe same to fixedly hold the extensions into engaging positions bypermitting the same to cool.

SAMUEL C. MILLER.

